National News

Sub-zero night coldest of winter

Temperatures plunged below zero in many areas during the coldest night of the winter so far.

And more cold conditions can be expected over the next week as Britain continues to feel the chill.

John Lee, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "It was generally the coldest night of the winter so far, though most severe in Scotland."

A temperature of minus 8.7C (17F) was recorded at Benson in Oxfordshire, while the lowest anywhere was at Braemar in Aberdeenshire, at minus 12.9C (9F). There was also a reading of minus 10.7C (12F) at Kinbrace in Sutherland.

After the dusting of snow early on Wednesday, which caused travel problems for commuters, Wednesday night in England and Wales was mainly cold and dry. Western parts of Scotland had snow later in the night, and by mid-morning there was snow or freezing rain in most areas north of the border, and rain in north-west England, which was expected to spread south and east during the day.

"Looking ahead over the coming week, it is expected to continue cold with an area of low pressure forming to the east in a few days' time, and bringing wintry showers to eastern areas," Mr Lee said.

In Scotland it emerged that an elderly man was found dead by his partner close to a school in freezing conditions. Robert Johnston, 79, was discovered near Panmurefield Road outside Monifieth High School in Angus on Wednesday at around 5am, according to the Daily Record.

Tayside Police said the sudden death of Mr Johnston, known locally as Grahame, was not being treated as suspicious and that a report had been submitted to the procurator fiscal.

Two schools in Aberdeenshire were closed to all pupils and 50 either closed to pupils having to travel or changed the usual transport routes. One nursery in Aberdeen city was closed to children who have to use transport because of icy roads and the threat of more snow.

There were some lengthy traffic delays because of accidents. Grampian Police said the A90 became "very congested" after a head-on crash in Balmedie, eight miles north of Aberdeen, in which two people were hurt. The road was closed for 20 minutes, causing lengthy tailbacks, and reopened just before 9am.

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